Compare towns
Olean vs Waltham vs Hadley vs Amsterdam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k median).
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Amsterdam has the most renters (47% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Olean | Waltham | Hadley | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
452Lowest |
2,074 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
54.1±3 39% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amsterdam and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$73,750±$32k 9% below U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
$194,200±$30k 42% below U.S. |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
$900±$293 36% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 about the U.S. average |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hadley and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.